sk0t

I dont know what most of your arts teach, for I can only vouch for a few different styles. But in street fighting, I teach to handle the situation and get out of there. Because that is what would do...I would handle the situation the best I could...and leave, for in the heat of my adrenaline rush I would be gone, I wouldnt even take the time to see if the man (or men) that I clobbered would be standing, breathing, alive or not. What is your take?

However you like to look at it, kickboxing here was still a spin off of Muay Thai, we havent created something new, or taken something from nothing. Influence plays an important role no matter what martial art you do. Savate or boxe francaise (they are the same thing) came from France. Not kickboxing.

Monkey, what types of forms do you do in your Modern-TaeKwonDo, and what type of sparring?

I tend to gaze at the solar plexus or the hips...because at least in TaeKwonDO sparring everything comes from the hips... And as with any kick, your hips start the process...

Kickboxing originated from Thailand, it is their national sport...and Jigoro Kano founded Judo in Japan....and the American styles of Jiu-jitsu still came for Japan and Brazil, they were just modified for that "American" feel. America hasnt produced that many martial arts, actually none that I can think of...but we add that Western Feel to them, and just make things easier... Like instead of training with a potatoe sack with sand in it... we buy a heavy bag... does it make it any more Asian or Oriental or less American no... cause you are learning it in America!

I have been to many tournaments...and I dont recall if I ever saw a 5th dan competing... Makes me think!

TKD is a very ecletic style in itself...because we do punching kicking and self defense and joint locks and sparring...we take from others just as others take from us... Traditional TKD, has One-Step sparring in which you dont do all kicks, and it has free sparring and pad sparring (with Hogu and head Gear and such)...I dont think, nowadays, that we have any traditional TKD schools around... Hapkido has been involved in the evolution of modern day TKD, but who is to say that it is not TKD if you teach Hapkido in the TKD classes...as long as it works you can call it whatever you want... People who bash TKD, bash it cause they dont know it...they bash it cause they have never seen it in action... I would never expect someone to think that I know how to streetfight just cause I know 'karate', but I would regret even more if I had to show them.

Good luck Monkey... And Congrats on training long enough to make it this far...

Whether or not your instructors have used the influence that Bruce Lee has created is irrelevant. Being Martial Artists, we all know Bruce Lee...and who is to say that an instructor didnt change something based on Sifu Lee's example doesnt matter, and who is to say that he heard what Sifu Lee said and just ignored it... Does it really matter? Bruce was good yes, but he wasnt the end all be all of Martial Artitsts. Yes I am a fan, but he is gone, and his legend lives on. Need we say more?

Hapkido is based on Joint Locks, Manipulations, and takedowns...with specialty in using your opponents momentun agains them... Self-Defense is when you find a way to avoid danger...Self-Perservance is when you find a way to stay alive.

I dont know about you, but I would probably not kick at all... since 90% of fights last 30 sec or less, and 90% of those fights get taken to the ground anyways, it leaves little time to use my favorite kick! In sparring tho, my favorite kick would be the front leg side kick: fast, powerful, and when executed with grace, can be surprising also!

If you are going to a karate tournament: Yelling will impress totally...loud long yells, and the beginning, and the end, and somewhere in the middle will impress...and I agree with Pacificshore that, Martial Artists who judge, do know more than you think, and if you make something up that looks like it doesnt fit they will know... And you never know what a 'karate' person knows... since to the rest of the world... we all know 'karate' anyways...! Scott

I think that the merger would create total chaos among the governing bodies...the questions and workings of each art would be address by a group of individuals who have sworn their lifes to the art the love... And a merger would cause an imbalace to the Ki of the Organizations... Hypothetical: soccer and football combine to create one... could the soccer people ever adapt to getting tackled....and could the NFL players all ever learn to kick the ball? and more importantly, would anyone watch? Scott

You cannot train in GM Pellegrinis Combat Hapkido without a partner... I specialize in his system, and let me tell you...unless you have atleast one other person you will get no where... It is recommend that you have triad of partner... (meaning you and 2 other people) because the tension and the resistance will be different with both people... I recommend finding some Buddies who want to do it... since they work as the best partners, cause they give you a little pain leway! Scott

The best tip to know...well the only tip to know... If you know what your doing...JUST DO IT! You wont have any problem! Scott

Hands Up vs Hands Down Fighting with your hands down is useful in some aspects. It can make your opponent feel youare vulnerable and make him attack...unknowing that your hands will raise the moment he makes his first move... And leaving your hands up all the time has been proven to make your more tired...y fight with your hands up if you are 3 round kicks away?